This was our 14th overall cruise, 4th on Royal Caribbean, 1st on the Brilliance and 1st over the Holidays.

Like most cruises, the Brilliance was a wonderful experience. Is it possible to have a bad time on a vacation where your meals are all inclusive, your room is cleaned twice a day and the sun is always warm?

Despite being 14 years old, the ship is in excellent condition. All areas were neat and clean, there were limited signs of wear and we did not experience any maintenance issues. We really enjoyed the ship’s layout. It is easy to navigate and the décor is easy on the eyes. The outdoor seating areas of the Windjammer were especially nice, relieving congestion during peak times and creating a greater sense of space. The ship is well appointed, with plenty of comfortable spaces to relax and quiet nooks to read. The Schooner Bar is larger than other Royal ships that we have been on and our kids really enjoyed the nautical theme in that space. In today’s age of technology, RCI and the Brilliance is lagging. Carnival offers the Hub App, allowing texting between passengers, activity schedules and ship maps. RCI does not have a similar product. The Brilliance did have very nice touch screen smart boards throughout the ship, displaying the activity schedule and other information. The smart boards were very handy when we did not have a cruise compass. The LED décor in the centrum is nice. It added to the disco experience during 70’s night. Read more